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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27243829">Home isn't a Place, its a Feeling</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Unpredictable_Ghost/pseuds/Unpredictable_Ghost'>Unpredictable_Ghost</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Goodbye [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood &amp; Manga</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Chris Mustang - Freeform, Ed Swears, Emotional Hurt, F/M, I'm Bad At Tagging, Jean Havoc - Freeform, Kain Feury (mentioned), Parental Roy Mustang, Post-Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Riza Hawkeye (mentioned) - Freeform, Royai - Freeform, Vanessa - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 23:21:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,247</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27243829</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Unpredictable_Ghost/pseuds/Unpredictable_Ghost</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Mae wasn’t entirely sure what to think of when her uncle proposed that she join him on a trip to central, and she still hadn’t quite absorbed that she was heading to a place where her parents potentially are.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Riza Hawkeye/Roy Mustang</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Goodbye [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1973506</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. A Visit Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Are we almost there yet?” Nina slid down in her seat after asking for the hundredth time since they had left their small quiet town of Resembool. Mae for the most part had remained quiet, she wasn’t entirely sure what to think of when her uncle proposed that she join him on a trip to central, and she still hadn’t quite absorbed that she was heading to a place where her parents potentially are. Uncle Ed had made sure to sit her down and tell her he couldn’t promise but nonetheless she would still be visiting the city she was born in.</p><p><br/>
Nina had busted her bedroom door open when she heard the mentions of a trip and immediately began begging to join. Mae wondered if the older girl had been eavesdropping as they hadn’t been talking very loud. Uncle Ed shooed her away but it wasn’t without the promise of allowing her to join him on the trip too.</p><p><br/>
Mae was a bit uncertain at the prospective and sudden proposal at a trip, which was the following morning after Uncle Ed approached her on it. She had been to the train station on a few occasions, it was always to either wave off Uncle Ed when he made trips to Central for Work or Aunt Winry the few times she had to go get supplies for her Auto mail shop. Never before had they offered for her to join them, not even Theo or Nina had joined. They had told them once it was because the trains were not as safe as they once had been.</p><p><br/>
“Central….” The word tasted familiar on the girl’s lips but she couldn’t connect the dots as to why Uncle Ed placed this offer into her hands “Isn’t that where you go for work?”</p><p><br/>
Ed walked over to a photo that hung on her wall, motioning to a photo of her parents in their military uniforms “And where the Military headquarters are… you don’t have to come, Mae, but I think it would be a nice trip.”</p><p><br/>
About after an hour of her being left alone in her room with her thoughts, letting mixed feelings run through both her head and heart she had decided perhaps it would be fun. She had never been on a train before, at least since she can remember and it is where home used to be. Central is the biggest city in Amestris, definitely a change from the small quiet town.</p><p><br/>
These thoughts continued running rampant as she dragged a worn backpack she used for adventures with Nina and Theo out of her closet and began packing the basics. Digging through the drawers she picked out her favorite outfits, most of them were outfits Nina had worn before her.</p><p><br/>
“Is it really a good idea to bring the girls?” Mae could hear Aunty Winry in the kitchen that night, the voices drifted up into her room through the vents. She could envision her standing there, with a screwdriver in one hand and her other hand resting on her hip. Her work on an automail order sitting on the table behind her as she stared into her husband's soul.</p><p><br/>
“We will be fine” Uncle Ed it brushed off, the conversation became muffled as they left the kitchen and presumably went into the study, but Aunt Winry’s concerned voice was not to be missed. Words became mumbles and became white noise among Mae’s still racing thoughts.</p><p><br/>
Mae quietly crawled out of bed and made her way to her dresser. Sleep wasn’t coming easily to her that night and she knew laying in bed, tossing and turning would land her nowhere. Being able to see her packed bag sitting by her door hadn’t helped the nerves.</p><p><br/>
Carefully as to not make any sound, she tiptoed over and slid the bottom drawer on the left open and removed the pajamas that were neatly folded onto the floor next to her in an equally neat pile, until the small photo album was revealed. She flipped through the pages, admiring the photos that left an empty feeling in her chest but a full feeling in her heart.</p><p><br/>
“Why would you tell her that!” Aunty Winry and Uncle Ed had moved back into the kitchen, “You know the odds are far stronger that they won’t be there!”<br/>
“I never promised her, and I had just talked to Mustang on the phone today so there is a strong potential he is still in central.”<br/>
“And what if he isn’t? And is Central really that safe?”</p><p><br/>
“I promise, we will be fine” And with that, the conversation came to a dead end. It was possible they were arguing in such a low volume that it was inaudible to Mae’s ears but she didn’t put much thought into it as she was quickly distracted and continued to look at the photo album.</p><p><br/>
She slid a select photo out from one of the pockets, it was worn on the edges but it was the only one she ever removed, before placing the photo album back into place in her dresser and hiding it again. Crawling back into bed she stared at the photo, with the moonlight being the only source of light. She guessed it was the last photo of them altogether, she was distracted by something behind the camera while sitting in her mother’s arms. That night she glanced out the window at the stars. Wondering if her parents were seeing the same constellations and moon that night too.</p><p> </p><p>The next morning she kept a firm grasp on the worn photo for the entire journey. It hadn’t left her hand since the night prior. She initially tried to hide it, keeping it confined to her pocket her wool jacket. On the train though, after waving goodbye to Aunt Winry and a slightly annoyed Theo who was left with a promise from Uncle Ed that he could join next time, it was Nina who pointed out the photo peeking out of her pocket.<br/>
“Oi! Mae, what's in your pocket?”</p><p><br/>
“oh.. um.. a photo…” She pulled on her fingers, looking down at her shoes. This piqued Nina’s interest who cocked her head to the side.</p><p><br/>
“A photo of what”</p><p><br/>
Mae’s response was non- existent but she noticed Uncle Ed’s Eyes flicker from the window to her general direction from the corner of her eye. Bringing her arms tighter around herself she shuffled away from the other girl.</p><p><br/>
“A photo of what? Let me see!” Nina did exactly what Mae predicted and reached at the girl next to her in an attempt to slide her hand into the pocket to retrieve what the mystery photo was but with a yelp from Mae who swatted at the older girls hand and a strong warning from her father whose head snapped from the window carrying a warning glare.</p><p><br/>
It was like watching a dog who had just been scolded, cowering under a table. Nina slid to the other end of the bench, eyes wide. The photo had slipped, not because of Nina's attempt at a grab though but rather the sudden movement Mae had made, and the photo laid on the wooden bench for prying eyes to see.<br/>
“I- I- I’m sorry Mae!” The older girl had quickly backed off, clutching her hands to her chest as her face reddened.</p><p><br/>
So many emotions ran through Mae as she slipped her fall gloves off her hands to get a grasp on the frayed edges of the polaroid. She didn’t bother to accept Nina’s apology nor snap back. The anger though did erupt and consume her but it died just as quickly as it came as she glanced at it.<br/>
‘Im heading to Central… My other home….’ The previous thoughts consumed her once again.</p><p><br/>
The rest of the train ride was quiet. Nina and her father watched out the window, passing through different towns he always had something to say about them. Whether if he and Uncle Al had been there before or some sort of rumor brewed from that town.</p><p><br/>
Entering Central, both Nina and herself were glued to the window. The buildings were so tall and grand! The train actually pulled into a large building where multiple platforms were lined up. There were so many people, bustling about in a frenzy. Upon exiting the train as the echoing voices and train whistles consumed the air it quickly got overwhelming for Mae as for a moment, she thought she had almost lost Uncle Ed and Nina, but they had only been a few feet away and her view had just been blocked by an old couple.</p><p><br/>
Quickly, they made their way out of the building. Hailing a Cab, Both girls were amazed at the motorized vehicle. There was only one back in Resembool but it rarely ran and was only used a handful of times a year.</p><p><br/>
“We have to drop our stuff off at the Hotel and then well head straight to Headquarters” Uncle Ed instructed them as the vehicle pulled up to another large building, Mae assumed it was the Hotel. Again both girls gawked at … well everything. The chandelier hung in the lobby of the Hotel, the line of phones that hung on one end of the lobby. It was almost too much, it was so busy Mae secretly was afraid.</p><p><br/>
“Aright girls, got the key, we drop our bags and we gotta go….” Uncle Ed held the key up with a smirk but then he glanced at the large clock hanging on the wall that smirk disappeared fast.</p><p><br/>
Even the Elevator was acknowledged with amazement from the girls, Uncle Ed suppressed a laugh when the carriage had jerked before beginning its ascent and both girls yelped in surprise, grabbing for each other.</p><p><br/>
When Uncle Ed had said quick, he meant it. They dropped their bags, barely stepping into the room before leaving again. The walk to the military headquarters was nearly a jog for the two young girls as it seemed every time Uncle Ed glanced at his watch, he speeds up just a bit more.</p><p><br/>
“Dad! Slow down!” Nina begged eventually as they passed large walls that loomed over them and approached more steps that Mae could count. The soldiers lined up at the entrances, watching them carefully made Mae a little uneasy. One had gone to approach them at the gates but quickly waved them through.<br/>
Mae and Nina quietly followed as the climbed the stairs to the large building, once they entered the grand doors, they walked into an eerily quiet waiting room. They were instructed to sit down and wait as Uncle Ed walked up to a desk, He and the desk attendant exchanged some words before he left and joined them, sitting in the hard wooden chairs.</p><p><br/>
“This is so big!” Nina sat down and looked around at the room, rows, and rows of chairs sat empty but there were potted plants scattered around the room, and bulletin boards filled with papers lined the walls. “Was this really where you used to work Papa?”</p><p><br/>
“Yeah, your uncle Al and I used to spend a lot of time here. We would annoy the shit out of your Father, Mae.” Mae caught off guard at the use of her name missed the initial portion of what he said but caught the word ‘Father’ and her heart began to race even faster. She ignored the use of such a word that would typically earn him a swat on the back of the head from Aunty Winry but Nina didn’t miss a beat and was ready to replace her mother and scold him herself. As Nina scolded her father, Mae sat quietly and took some deep breathes to calm her nerves.</p><p><br/>
“Edward!” A man in uniform walked up to them and offered a salute.</p><p><br/>
“Hey, Havoc!” Uncle Ed Stood up and casually crossed his arms “So I guess the Colonel Bastard in In” he smirked.</p><p> </p><p>“Were here only till tomorrow, they were back out on the frontlines” The man, Havoc, Sighed.</p><p><br/>
“Well then, we better not waste any more time” Ed stretched his arms and the two girls stood from the seats.</p><p><br/>
“Oh” Havoc huffed “I’m guessing this is your daughter, the Colonel mentioned. Nina right?” His hand outstretched for Nina and she took it in a firm grasp… a little too firm some would say as his finger quickly turned purple and he pulled away, rubbing his hand “and….” Havoc had a pretty good guess who the other small girl who accompanied them was. Her dark hair that sat in two basic braids and her wide dark eyes were a dead giveaway.</p><p><br/>
“Mae” She didn’t mean for her voice to come out as a squeak and for her hand to go limp but by this time her heart was racing so fast she swore the room was spinning.</p><p><br/>
“Ah, yes. You’ve gotten so big, Mae!” He offered a gentle smile and a quick handshake before standing back up. “oh! By the way, I'm 2nd Lieutenant Jean Havoc” He gave a grin as his cigarette slid to the corner of his mouth.</p><p><br/>
Uncle Ed and Havoc exchanged a few more words before they took off down the maze of hallways, It felt like Mae’s Ears were ringing as she blindly followed, Their footsteps echoed in the empty halls but Mae tried listening to the conversation between the two men ahead of her.</p><p><br/>
“So who else is here beside you and the Colonel?” Uncle Ed walked with his hands in his pockets.</p><p><br/>
“Just himself and I, everyone else was under orders to stay back. Haven’t seen Hawkeye or Fuery in a while….”</p><p><br/>
“How is it looking out there?”</p><p><br/>
“Honestly, can’t tell anymore. Everyone is gettin burnt out. I knew it was gonna be hard but… it's bad” The last part Havoc brought his voice down as they stopped Infront of some doors “Hopefully she can do some good” Mae’s eyes met Havoc’s as he practically whispered.</p><p><br/>
“Sir, Fullme… Edward Elric is here” Havoc’s voice carried through the empty office as a man who sat at a desk at the opposite end of the room looked up from his paperwork, his hair stood up from the constant running of hands through his hair.</p><p><br/>
It was silent for a moment, the room felt like it was spinning for Mae. Everyone was quiet as the man dropped his pen onto the solid wooden desk and stood up from his desk and briskly walked across the room, kneeling down his arms wrapped around her tightly. She stood there, not entirely sure what to think. It was no doubt this man was the same man as the one in all those photos. Her heart raced as she could feel something wet on her back. It wasn’t until the man pulled himself away and she could see a steady stream of tears running down his cheek.</p><p><br/>
“Y-You’ve gotten so big” He choked out. She could see from the corner of her eye the two other men and Nina standing there… quite awkwardly. Uncle Ed whispered something into Havoc's ear and Havoc nodded. Uncle Ed walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder.</p><p><br/>
“I’m just going to take Nina to the cafeteria… it's just down the hall if you need me” and with a reassuring squeeze of her shoulder, he left with the other two, Leaving Mae and her father alone.</p><p><br/>
At some point they had made their way over to a couch that sat by the doors, Mae keeping a bit of distance as it was just so overwhelming. They sat quietly for a bit, unsure of what to say.</p><p><br/>
“You look a lot like your mother” He finally broke the silence. Without thinking Mae reached into her pocket. Slipping out the worn polaroid. Turning it to him. His jaw relaxed and a smile grew on his lips.</p><p><br/>
“Do you want a more recent photo of us?”</p><p><br/>
Mae’s eyes widened, nodding.</p><p><br/>
Getting up, he walked across the room and grabbed his jacket off the coat rack in the corner of the room. Digging around in a pocket he found them, photos were taken the last time Riza and himself were stationed in the same area. Luckily, they had managed to get some rest prior and cleaned themselves up a bit. They had been sitting on a fallen log, Riza leaning into Roy. Feury came up to them and offered to take a photo. He had suggested that they send it off to Mae but things quickly got of hand not long after they were given the photo and Mustang swore, he would send it off on his way to the train the following morning. He hadn’t anticipated Ed bringing Mae with him, but he was so glad he did. Inspecting the photo to triple check there wasn’t any evidence of the horrors that surrounded them out there had made it into the photo, he handed it to his daughter who accepted it graciously.</p><p><br/>
“I… I do remember her… she visited when I was little.” Mae mumbled as she took in the photo. Roy did remember, the next time he saw her after that, she spoke so much of her visit. It made his heartache but now he was getting his own visit.</p><p><br/>
“She really misses you… so do I” He spoke, looking down at the photo too.</p><p><br/>
“Me too...” Her voice was barely a whisper but he heard it. It made him both happy and sad. Their time spent apart hadn’t brought on his worst fear, that she would forget them, not care about them, but she did…. And it hurt her too.<br/>
“I don’t have to leave till tomorrow morning, did you want to go meet your grandmother with me tonight?” It was the second sudden offer Mae had come across in less than 24 hours. Her Grandmother? She never thought about grandparents…. She didn’t even know she had any… she found herself nodding in agreement, and though nervous she was also excited. Not only to meet a grandparent but also to spend time with her father.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Photographs</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> That afternoon, the two older men sat at the desk. Presumably accomplishing what uncle Ed had been called in for. The two girls were left to entertain themselves. Nina was completely fine spinning endlessly in one of the chairs but Mae had gradually made her way around the room.</p><p>Peeking on top of shelves that were lined with books to framed certificates and awards, many of which she hadn’t been able to read what they were for but she didn’t care much. The photos that sat on top of each desk were the most intriguing to her. Each set sat perfectly untouched in the room, all the personal belongings were left untouched, on some desks, there was even a layer of dust.</p><p>              Skimming her hand along the wall, she went from desk to desk observing. Piecing together clues as to who could’ve possibly sat there from the photo on the wall of the team. The man, Havoc, had been seated at his desk most of the time. Spending part of his time actually working, but for the most part, he sat watching Mae as she darted around the room with a cigarette hanging out the side of his mouth.</p><p>              That gave away what desks belonged to her father and Havoc. Four other desks sat around the room. The first one Mae walked up to had a radio and a phone sitting on the corner. Tools laid scattered, some standing up among the pencils in the cup beneath the lap, others obviously used more. These were similar to some of the tools Aunt Winry used to fine-tune her automail which Mae has watched many times.</p><p>              “Ah, that’s Master Sergent Fuery’s, might not want to touch any of that there. I don’t wanna hear him fret over a missing piece or a bent part.” Havoc straighten his back and Mae looked over at him. Dashing over to the desk across from that one she pointed at it.</p><p>              “Whose is that one?” she pointed to a pretty plain but neat and tidy desk. Pencils that sat in their cup and the empty mug was about all that decorated the desk. Not a single photo, Nor even a notepad. Nina just was seated in the chair, still somehow spinning.</p><p>              “Ah, that one was Warrant Officer Falman’s, not too much to it eh” he smiled. Two desks left, she pointed to the one that sat across from Havoc. It was a little more cluttered, an empty plate sat to the right of the desk and some books were stacked along the back.</p><p>              “Good old 2nd Lieutenant Heymans Breda, was my classmate in the academy” The last part his voice faltered a bit but all Mae was capable of thinking was that there was only one desk left and one person left unnamed.</p><p>              Quietly she walked over to the final desk, it was the closest to her fathers. Her hands ran along with the wood, leaving behind streak marks in the dust. It was just as perfectly neat as Falmans but she did at least have some personal items adorning it.</p><p>              Two frames sat in the corner, beneath the lamp and next to the pencil cup. One was of their whole work team. A small black and white dog sat in front, she vaguely remembered him. He passed when she was 4 but Aunt Winry always says, still to this day, “He did his job, till the very last day.”</p><p>              The second Frame held a very familiar photo, it was of her father holding her as a newborn. A small infant soother and bottle sat on the opposite corner; she couldn’t stop staring at it. She could feel Havoc’s eyes on her back, but he remained quiet.</p><p>              She slipped into the chair of the desk and began to swing herself back and forth, imagining what it would be like if there was no war. Would she be living in Central? Who would’ve been her friends? would she have gone to school that wasn’t a small single room building but those grand, multistory schools she has heard about and saw on her walk here?</p><p>              Suddenly the two men quieted, both glancing in her direction. Mae was lost in thought, imagining what would be different.</p><p>              “That’s her desk… isn’t it?” Ed said in a low voice, Mustang had been impressed with this visit how much more mature Ed had become. The jokes were less, compared to how he once was, and he genuinely seemed to be… happy?</p><p>              “Yeah” Mustang ran his hand through his hair, a nervous habit. “Hey, do you mind if I take her for the evening? Id like to take her to meet some people” Mustang silently hated he had to ask another person for permission to spend time with his daughter, he yearned so badly for the day they could take her home, and get be a family once again.</p><p>              “Yeah, sure! I think all Nina really wants to do is explore around, and shop a bit anyways.” Ed waved “Its not much of Mae’s thing”</p><p>              “I’ll drop her off at the hotel later, you aren’t leaving until tomorrow morning, right?”</p><p>              “Correct! Well, Winry left me with quite the list so I best be getting going.” Ed slipped a piece of paper from his jacket pocket and waved it in the air, mustang did have to admit it was quite a long list…. Even doubting one’s ability to get all that done in a single afternoon.</p><p>              “Nina! Ready to go?” Ed spun around and stood up. Ruffling his daughter’s hair as her hand flew up to swat him away. “Mae, your spending the afternoon with your father, right?”</p><p>              “Mae’s heart raced as she was thrown out of her day-dreaming state. “Uh... Oh yeah! Yes, Uncle!” She jumped out of the seat.</p><p>              “Alrighty then! See ya later Colonel Ba…”</p><p>              “Fullmetal” Mustang sat at his desk, fingers intertwined shooting Ed a warning glance.  It shut Ed up rather quickly and he darted out of the room… without shooting back to Mustangs shock.</p><p>              “Where are we going?” Mae walked quickly to keep up with her father.</p><p>              “To see your grandmother, remember?”</p><p>              “How much longer until we get there…” Mae looked at the cars that were passing them.</p><p>              “Just a few more blocks, don’t worry it’s not far” Mustang walked with a stride of pride. Next to them, a car pulled into a parking stall, coming straight their direction before straitening themselves out and Mae jumped.</p><p>              “I thought they were going to hit us!” Mae gasped as her father held, her upright.</p><p>              “Were okay, they were just parking.” He reassured her.</p><p>              “oh”</p><p>              A few blocks later, they went to turn out of the blue to down a back alley. Mae thought this looked exactly like the type of place that screamed potential danger. It looked so much like what they would describe on the scary radio show at night that Aunt Winry hated them listening to but they still sneaked it when she wasn’t home. Every muscle in her body told her not to go down this dark alley but she followed blindly, trusting this man knew where he was going. There was no way he was going to lead her to danger. He was her father and a father never could put his daughter in danger… right? Uncle Ed would never lead Nina to danger.</p><p> A single door was lit up. Walking right for it many alarms were going off in her head. She couldn’t read the sign but inside was what she guessed was a bar. It was empty as it was mid-day and the single sign, she could read on the door had been closed. A long counter ran along one wall with bottles lining the shelf behind it, the rest of the room was filled with tables.</p><p>              “Roy!” A girl who sat at the counter jumped up and ran quickly in heels larger than Mae had ever seen. A few more girls ran in as Mae stood behind him, apprehensive of the sudden and explosive excitement in the room. They all took turns coming up and giving her father a hug, the scent of a wide variety of perfumes filled the air and Mae felt like she potentially was suffocating.</p><p>              “Now girls, give some room. You’re scaring the poor girl!” An older lady walked out, a cigarette hanging out the side of her mouth. All the girls jumped back; confusion splashed across their faces.</p><p>              “The.. girl?” one of them cocked her head to the side before they noticed Mae, looking around her father’s legs.</p><p>              “Roy-Boy, this is my sweet little Mae isn’t it?” The lady walked up and crouched down. “My, my... how old are you now?”</p><p>              “6” Mae’s voice squeaked.</p><p>              “Mae, this is your grandma” Her father took a step to the side “Who clearly is much more excited to see you than myself”</p><p>              “She is so cute, Roy! “One of the girls hugged herself tightly as she smiled. Meanwhile, the older lady who Mae was now told is her grandmother opened her arms wide, Mae found herself walking into the open arms and it was such a warm and loving feeling being held by this woman, even if she smelled of cigarette ash and alcohol.</p><p>              “Well, sweetie, did you want something to eat?” She looked into Mae’s eyes.</p><p>              “um… yes please”</p><p>              “Vanessa! Can you put on some Coffee and soup!” The gentle voice seconds ago snapped into a commanding one as the girls all snapped up with one running into the back.</p><p>              “For sure madame!” The girl disappeared behind the curtains in the blink of an eye.</p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p>              “So.. how’s it going out there?” The lady sat back in her chair across from them. Mae could feel her father stiffen beside her. Eating her soup she listening to the two of them converse.</p><p>              “Not good, everyone’s getting burnt out. Though they’re saying we are starting to make advances on the south.” He began fidgeting with his hands.</p><p>              “How’s Riza doin?” She brought down her voice down a few notches after seeing a few girls peeking from the staircase, which Roy and Mae were oblivious to their eavesdropping.</p><p>              “I haven’t seen her for a few months, last time she looked pretty worn but then again, who isn’t out there?”</p><p>              “How long are you in town for?”</p><p>              “Few days, but I’m leaving tomorrow afternoon”</p><p>              “And just came to see me today, Roy boy?”</p><p>              There was no response from her father on that one, they just sat quietly. Mae slurped her soup and the two adults sipped at their coffee’s. Occasionally one of the girls would slip their head through the curtain to which Mae could see as they would give a slight wave from behind the woman, but just as quickly as they appeared, they would disappear.</p><p>              “So, Mae? What do you think about Central?” The older woman, who probably would not approve of being called an ‘Older woman’ set her empty cup of coffee down on the table and gave a warm smile to the young girl.</p><p>              “It’s amazing, Resembool is fun… but Central is so big!” Mae threw her arms up in the air, wide to visualize just how big she thought “There are so many people! And motor vehicles! And everything is so pretty!”</p><p>              “Ah, I felt the same first time I stepped into this city” Madame Christmas grinned “Your father here too, he nearly walked into the back of some woman the first time he got of the train and saw the station” She chuckled.</p><p>              “Perhaps we should head upstairs, it’s going to get busy soon” Roy’s chair scratched across the old worn floor as he reached across the table for the two mugs which lost their warmth by now, and the empty bowl. The bell by the door had been jostled and as a result, a few pairs of shoes ran down the old wooden staircase that leads out to the bar.</p><p>              Mae followed quietly as they went up a staircase that led to the private living quarters of Madame Christmas herself that resided on the 3rd floor. With the flick of a switch, a fair-sized room for an apartment for a single person was illuminated. A beautiful oak radio sat in the corner with two soft red couches sitting across from one another. A fireplace sat, waiting to be cleaned with pictures crowding the mantel. A small kitchen with a dark hallway laid opposite of the room. The room was warm as Mae walked over to the Radio. It looked old, much older than the one she had at home and she wanted to take a closer look. The glass had yellowed over time… or perhaps the smoke but either way even the chipped wood and antique-looking dials was enough to determine that it had seen many years.              </p><p>              “Um.. May I look at this? It looks so pretty!” Mae’s hands ran along with the worn wood.</p><p>              “Knock yourself out sweetheart” Madame Christmas collapsed onto the couch, slipping a new cigarette from a packet on the coffee table. The Radio hadn’t worked for years. Only emitting a soft hum since then if you had the dials set to certain frequencies.</p><p>              While Mae was busy, playing with the dials, hoping the volume was set low enough that her eardrums would not suffer for the remainder of the night. Roy joined Madame Christmas on the couches, watching the little girl.</p><p>              “So Innocent” Madame Christmas took a drag of her cigarette.</p><p>              “I just can’t believe it… There’s been nothing happy the last few years.” Roy sat forward and placed his head onto his hands “And to be honest... I was getting burnt out. Starting to think the end would never come. In the beginning, they told us it would be a year, that the south wasn’t that strong. Then they told us it would be a few years. Now it’s been almost 6 years.”</p><p>              Madame Christmas sat quietly, listening to her nephew. Her heart ached for him, if ishval hadn’t broken him, this war was bringing him close. Mae’s soft and innocent humming as her hands played with the dials.</p><p>              “It’s unfair, but last time I had the opportunity to talk to Riza I told her I thought it was perhaps punishment for our actions and choices. We stole time away from so many, and now the time is being taken away from us. Perhaps she was better off without us…”</p><p>              “Roy-Boy. Don’t you ever say that again?” Madame Christmas’s cigarette sat in-between her fingers just inches away from her face. Anger filling her blood. She rarely got mad, prided herself on keeping herself collected and in check but that sentence was boiling her blood. “I do hope you think differently truly on the inside. You deserve that girl. She deserves you. She has been looking at you in awe this entire time and I hope you realize that.” Madame Christmas just hoped this was the burn out talking.</p><p>Roy was at a loss for words. He sat there, processing what his aunt had just told him.</p><p>              Mae eventually figured the radio had no hope of working, she had to admit it was a bit disappointing but she quickly forgot about it when the mantel caught her attention. Walking over to it, there were so many photos scattered. Some were old and sun-bleached, Edges were frayed inside the frame. Others were in pristine condition and were kept in beautiful frames, a layer of dust sat untouched. Mae let her vision glimpse at each photo individually, or at least the ones that sat in front as it was a tab bit too tall for her to see anything else. From left to right, she wondered who these people were in the photos. Though, she thought, she was just getting to know the people in the same room as her right now.</p><p>              “I’m sure you’re going to love this one...” Madame Christmas waltzed across the room and reached over Mae. Bringing a photo that sat on the very right corner of the mantel. It was in a silver frame and was of a young boy.</p><p>              Mae knew exactly who this was, she looked up from the frame in her hands and her father sat there glaring at the older woman. He looked so young in it, he wasn’t smiling in it but wasn’t sad or mad either…. He looked tired?</p><p>              “You know… id love to have a photo of you to add to my collection” She took back the frame from Mae and set it gently on the Mantel, in the exact same place.</p><p>              “I don’t have any photos of me…” Mae began.</p><p>              “Don’t be silly, let me go grab my Camera” and with that, she disappeared down the dark hallway.</p><p>              After she returned, they left out the backdoor in search of a good place for a photo. The camera was huge but nonetheless; she lugged it around until they came across a park just a block south. Madame instructed the girl to stand beneath a tree with the leaves currently in the process of changing colour in preparation for winter.</p><p>              “Stand perfectly still” and a large flash nearly blinded the girl as the camera shuttered. Mae went to take a step ahead “Stand back there just a bit longer” The woman held up her hand after grabbing a spare bulb from the case. “Roy boy” She barked.</p><p>              “Me?”</p><p>              “Yes you, now hurry before we lose daylight”</p><p>              *A month Later*</p><p>“Hey” The warmth of a slowly dying fire was the only source of light left as the clouds prevented the natural luminance of the moon.</p><p>              “Oh... Hey,” She glanced down, returning her attention to cramming the last bullet in a spare magazine.</p><p>              “How have you been?” He sat down next to her, throwing his arm over her shoulder.</p><p>              “It’s been okay... were heading back out on another mission tomorrow. Fuery got sent back for some injuries on our last mission. I have heard no update… H-He didn’t look too good”</p><p>              “I’ll try and see what I can find out” His heart sank. They also informed him that Breda had been sent back for what they called ‘Minor Injuries’ but he knew better, but he chooses to keep the tidbit of information to himself.</p><p>              “How was your trip to Central?” The now filled magazine was slipped back into its place on her belt, allowing her full attention to be brought to the conversation.</p><p>              “Ah, had a meeting with Fullmetal”</p><p>              “You know he doesn’t like it when you call him that?. did he have anything to say about Mae?”</p><p>              “Well..” Roy reached into the inner pocket of his jacket, slipping out a crisp envelope. Passing the photo to her, a gasp left her lips.</p><p>              The image of the two sitting below the tree. It had taken a bit for the camera to go off so both had resumed from their poses and instead the delayed camera captured a young girl with the corners of her lips turned up, looking up at her father in awe. The man in uniform still had his arm on the girl’s shoulder, he too was smiling down at the girl who only was half his size.</p><p>              The two remained at the campfire until there was no warmth left. They spoke not a single word after that.</p>
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